


La Petite Souris

by geekbaits



Series: Kitten-sitting [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien's such a good big brother, Brothers!AU, Gen, Grieving Gabriel Agreste, I did a sad :(, babysitter!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 19:10:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9398948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekbaits/pseuds/geekbaits
Summary: It seemed unlikely that Felix would ever feel happy again, but his big brother said it’d be okay. And if Adrien promised that everything would be okay, then Felix had no doubts that they’d make it through this.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It’s Inauguration Day, and so I’m gonna take advantage of the bitter mood I’m in to write some more of my babysitter AU c: This happens way before the events in Promises, Promises. 
> 
> PS: La Petite Souris is like the French version of the tooth fairy.....only it’s a mouse.
> 
> PPS: Visit @geek-baits on tumblr for more garbage content.

The first week after _It_ happened had been the worst, and Felix would never forget it for as long as he lived.

For seven entire days, he’d wake up forgetting that Maman wasn’t there anymore and, as a habit, would excitedly sprint to his parents’ bedroom, the little pitter patter of his feet a consistent drumming against the cold, hardwood floors, only to find his father catatonic, his mother gone, and his treacherous heart once again reminding him that he no longer had a mother in this world.

“ _Maman! Maman!”_ he’d called out on one particularly rainy Tuesday, “ _Maman, my tooth fell out!”_

His first baby tooth, right in the front so _everyone_ could see it. 

There’s no _way_ Maman would miss it. Maman saw _everything._ Felix supposed Maman was just magical like that. He could imagine it: he’d burst into her bedroom, where he would spot her seated in front of her vanity, gently brushing out the tangles and knots in her long, golden locks, humming a tune that she’d often sing to him when he was about to sleep.

Excitedly, Felix would run to his mother and throw himself across her lap, taking a moment to himself to catch his breath.

He would feel gentle fingers brushing the top of his head.

 _“What is it, Fe?”_ And that would be when he would proudly present Maman with his tooth, smiling from ear to ear.

It would have been an event, he was sure.

Maman would have scooped him up in her arms, blowing raspberries against his chubby cheeks, “ _Ah, it fell out, minou! You know what that means right?”_

And he did know! After all, Maman had told him about it before. Multiple times.

He’d tell her,  _“La Petite Souris will be coming when I go to sleep!”_

And Maman would laugh her beautiful, infectious laugh and Felix would join in, and when it was time for bed, Maman would tuck his baby tooth under his bed. 

It was supposed to be a grand occasion.

However, when little Felix arrived at his parents room, he couldn’t find Maman at her vanity, brushing her beautiful golden hair or humming her beautiful lullaby that Felix would come to miss to the point where it _ached_ thinking about it.

No, what Felix found was his father, standing in front of the large window that was on the far side of their bedroom, his back facing his youngest son.

Felix was confused.

What was Papa doing there? He usually was in his office by now...

Slowly, cautiously, Felix stepped into the room, clutching his baby tooth against his chest.

He swallowed.

“...Papa? Where’s Maman?”

Papa didn’t answer.

“Papa?” Felix tried again, this time a little louder, “Papa! Papa, where’s Maman?” 

Something was wrong.

Felix was starting remember; something was very, very wrong. Maman wasn’t here and Papa wasn’t answering him. 

Where was Maman?

Felix ran across the room and wrapped his arms around his father’s leg, squeezing.

“Papa! Answer me!” he demanded, but he received no answer. “Where’s Maman?! _Papa!”_

He continued to shriek, the distress building and building until he felt a warm pressure on the crown of his head. A soft, almost fleeting sensation that stopped him in his tracks.

Gabriel Agreste removed his hand, and with tearful, blue eyes trained on the window in front of him, he whispered, “Maman is gone, Felix.”

Everything _stopped_ for a moment.

And come back to him twice as fast, the heaviness of it all almost _crushing_  to little Felix.

Anxiety. Fear. Confusion. Anger. Pain. Sorrow.

Felix could sense all of these feelings coursing through his veins. He was cold; he felt cold. He could remember why! He buried his face against his father’s leg, squeezing his eyes shut.

That’s right.

Maman hadn’t been home since Saturday.

Maman had been gone for three whole days.

He remembered now.

 _His mother was dead_.

Felix couldn’t comprehend how or why, he just knew that his mother was no longer here. 

No more warm hugs and kisses, no more bedtime stories, no more lullabies or Christmas cookies or family Fridays or Chinese checkers on rainy Sundays. 

No more promises of exploring the mountainous Tibet or stopping by a bakery for pain au chocolat after visiting the doctors or putting baby teeth underneath pillows for little mice to pick up at night.

His bottom lip quivered.

No more _Maman_.

And big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

Maman wasn’t even here to kiss his tears away and make him feel better with hugs and songs that she would softly croon into his ear.

“Maman...” he hiccuped, scrubbing at his eyes. “Maman, Maman, Maman...”

Felix cried and cried and cried until he was unsure what time it was. He was so exhausted, so tired...so sleepy...

But he didn’t want to sleep because he knew...

“Felix, go take a nap in your bedroom.”

“No.”

...Felix knew for a fact...

“Felix...”

“ _No!”_ he snapped, feeling himself unravel, “I don’t wanna!”

...Felix knew that when he woke up and realized that his mother was gone, he’d fall apart all over again.

“Felix,” Papa said, his voice void of any warmth or compassion, “You _will_ return to your bedroom and remain there until you’ve calmed down.”

“No!” Felix screamed, “I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna!”

“Felix!” Papa snapped, “Stop acting like a child!”

“I want Maman!”

“Well, Maman isn’t here,” Papa said, “So, you’re going to have to grow up. Go to your bedroom. There will be no more discussion on this.” 

Felix’s only answer were the gut-wrenching sobs and shrieks he let out as he buried his face against Gabriel’s leg. He cried, clutching against his father’s leg as tightly as he could.

He clenched his little fists until they were numb.

He didn’t want to sleep.

He just wanted to stand here and cry until Maman would come through the door, scoop him up into her arms, and hold him until he calmed down.

Felix didn’t know how long he stood there, immobilizing his father while sobbing, the only thing he could register was another touch against the back of his neck.

“Fe?” 

Felix knew that voice anywhere. 

He released his grip on his father and threw his arms around the newcomer, who, in turn, wrapped his arms around the little boy. 

“A-Adrien...” Felix cried, “...I want Maman!”

“I know, Fe...” Adrien cooed, rubbing his back. 

“I don’t wanna sleep! I just want Maman!” air was coming up too fast for the little boy and he heaved, hyperventilating into his brother’s neck. Adrien stood, holding his little brother in his arms and carrying him out of their father’s room.

“Fe, you need to rest. Maman wouldn’t be happy if she saw you like this,” Adrien murmured, low enough just for Felix to hear.

“Maman was s-supposed to help me put my b-baby tooth under m-my pillow,” he sobbed, “And now we c-can’t! Because she’s _gone!_  Gone and never coming back!” 

Adrien squeezed Felix, “We can still do that,” he said. “ _I’ll_ help you.”

Felix shook his head, “B-But Maman...”

“Maman would want us to do this,” Adrien persuaded, “And we can still do our family Fridays, and bake cookies for Christmas...”

“W-What about Chinese checkers?” he asked weakly.

“We can do all those things too, but it’ll just be me and you, Fe,” Adrien had carried Felix all the way to his bedroom and sat down, his baby brother nestled in his lap, “We’ll keep having fun, just like Maman wanted.”

It seemed unlikely that Felix would ever feel happy again, but his big brother said it’d be okay.

“P-Promise?”

Adrien smiled before pressing a kiss to Felix’s forehead and ruffling his hair.

“I promise.”

And if Adrien promised that everything would be okay, then Felix had no doubts that they’d make it through this.

After all, it was what Maman wanted.


End file.
